One man’s trash is another man’s weapons of war in California apparently.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department found two rocket launchers and a practice grenade in a residential garbage can while carrying out a search warrant on Christopher Whetstone, 41, who was under arrest and charged with grand theft, among other allegations.
“During the service of a search warrant, evidence of the original crime was located, along with narcotics, and a bazooka,” Riverside County Sgt. Edward Soto said. “Although there is a school located directly behind the concerned residence, a school was not directly involved in the incident.”
Whetstone’s residence sits less than 300 feet from Margarita Middle School.
The full slate of charges against Whetstone includes tampering with a motor vehicle and possession of tear gas alongside grand theft. As of yet, he has not been charged with possession of rocket launchers, which carries an array of punishments.
The charge of possessing a destructive device can be deemed either a misdemeanor or a felony in California. A misdemeanor conviction comes with up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Felony convictions carry a $10,000 fine and up to three years behind bars. To make the charge stick, prosecutors must prove that the devices belonged to the defendant and that they knew the devices were destructive.
“We urge the public to call law enforcement if these items are found or if you would like to dispose of them legally,” the sheriff's department wrote on Instagram.
“Oftentimes, they are found when cleaning out a passed relative’s belongings.
We would be happy to come make sure they are safe and to dispose of them properly (returned to the military).”
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